Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Talking about our health services, it is impossible to ignore the fact that the pay for the Secretary General of the Department of Health went up yesterday by €3,000. That is on top of the increase last November of €3,000.

That is on top of the additional €81,000 on which the Taoiseach, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and the Tánaiste collectively agreed, without any process, rationale or justification. There is no justification. His salary now stands at €297,869. Compare that to the head of the British NHS, whose salary is £199,000. Does the Taoiseach recognise just how disgusting this scenario is when he is looking for plaudits for giving front-line healthcare workers €1,000? He has done virtually nothing for all those workers and families who are struggling to make ends meet. Yet, he took €87,000 of their money and handed it to one of the highest paid civil servants in the world. Does the Taoiseach regret his role in this grubby affair? Will he now move to restore the salary to the Secretary General level at a rate that was based on some level of process?

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